German State Demands
Repayment From Nokia

Updated March 12, 2008 12:01 am ET

A German state government said it demanded that Nokia Corp. pay back subsidies used to finance a mobile-phone plant the company now plans to close, plus interest, for a total of nearly &euro;60 million, or $92 million. Nokia in January said it would close the plant in Bochum -- a move that likely will result in the loss of 2,300 jobs. The state government in North Rhine-Westphalia said last month it was demanding that Nokia repay about &euro;41 million in investment subsidies paid in 1998 and 1999. Last month, Nokia said it was "astonished" by the effort to recall the subsidies.